Variable speed transmission



June 18, 1935. 1. P. JOHNSON v 2,005,227

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Nov. 25, 1932 e sheets-sheet 1 June 18, 1935. '.1. P. JoHNsoN VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Nov. 25, 1952 e sheets-snee*v June 18, 1935. u. P. JoHNsoN VARIABLE SPEED 'TRANSMISSIONA Filled NOV. 25, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 `lune 18,1935. J, P. JOHNSON VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Nov. 25, 1932' e sheets-sheet June 18, 1935 J. P. JoHNsoN VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Nov. 25, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet Qbx lill l f "Il f//VEA/Tof? JMES EJof//vso/v.

June 18, 1935.

VARIABLE vSPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Nov. 25, 1932 6 Sheets-'Sheet 5 /A/VfA/Ton J. P. JoHNsoN 2,005,227-

Patented June 1s, 1935 2,005,227

-- UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION James P. Johnson, Shaker Heights, Ohio` Application November 25, 1932, Serial No. 644,170

4 Claims. (Cl`. 'Z4-117) The present invention relates to a power transtherewith, is rotatably supported vin the end cover mission mechanism, vand more particularly to a I3 and a recess I9 in a driven shaft 20, by antimechanical transmission of the variable speed friction bearings 2I and 22, respectively. The type, driven shaft 20 is rotatably supported in theend N The object of the present invention is the procover.|2 and partition II by anti-friction bear- 5 vision of agnovel variable speed power transmisings 23 and 24, respectively and is adapted to be sion in which the speed may be changed in an driven fr0-m the. drive shaft I6 by mechanism infinite number of steps without interrupting the hereinafter referred to. y transmission of power. A plurality Aof crankshafts 25 equally spaced Another object of the invention is the provision about the axis of the driven shaft 20 are rotatably 10 of a novel means for changing the amount of ecsupported in bosses 26 and 2'I formed in the cencentricity of a variable eccentric member suptral member Ill and the partition II of the housported on a rotating shaft during the rotation ing A, by bushings 28, and anti-friction rollers 29, of the shaft. respectively. The anti-friction/rollers 29 run in Further objects and advantages of the invengrooves 33 formed in the crankshafts 25 and en- 15 tion will be apparent to those skilled in the art gage steel races 3I secured in the bosses 21. from the following description of the preferred Crank arms 34 `formed integral with the crankembodiment thereof, described with reference to shafts 25 carry cranks or crank pins 35 fixed in the accompanying drawings, in which bosses 36 in any suitable-manner. The crank- Fig- 1 iS a SeCtOIly With DOIOIiSin elevation, shafts 25 are oscillated upon rotation of the drive 20 approximately on the line I-I of Fig. 2, of a shaftl I6 by a variableI eccentric comprising two power transmission embodying the preferred concoaxial eccentric members 38 and 39, the inner struction of the invention; eccentric member 38 of which is xed to the shaft Fig. 2 is a plan View of the transmission shown I6 by a `pin 40, and the outer eccentric member 39 in Fig. 1; is .rotatably supported on the inner eccentric 25 Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; member 38. The eccentricity of each of the ec- Fig. i iS a Section, With POIiO-IIS in elevatiOn, centric members 38 and 39 is equal, and the ar- SDDIOXimately 0n the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; rangement is such that the resultant amount Fig. 5 is a section 0n the line 5-5 0f Fig. 1; of eccentricity may be varied from zero to maxi- Fig. 6 iS a SGCOD 011 the line 5--3 0f Fig- 3; mum eccentricity by producing a relative rota- 30 Fig. '7 iS 2 SeCiiOn aPDIOXimaieiY 0n the line tion between the outer eccentric member 39 and 1-1 Of Fig. 1, With the upper left gear ShOWIl in the innel` eccentric member 38 Section On the line and the lOWeI left gear The cranks 0r crank pins 35 carry anti-fricin section on the line tion bearings 4I, the inner races 42 of which are Fig- 8 iS a Section 0n the line 8 8 0f Fig. 1; fixed to the cranks or crank pins 35 and the 35 Fig. 9 iS 2 SGCOH. With DOltiOnS irl elevatiOn, outer races 43 engage a finished surface 44 on SDDYOXimieiy 0n the 1in@ 9`9 Of Fig. 10. ShOWilig the outer eccentric member 39. The vouter races a modification of the power transmission illus- 43 are held in contact with the eccentric member trated in Figs. 1 t0 8, inclusive? I in such a. manner that they roll on the finished 0 Fig. 10 iS a Section 011 the line iii-l0 0f Fig. 9; surface 44 as the eccentric revolves, by an an- 40 Fig. 11 is a section' on the' line II-II ofFig. 9; nular member 45 carried lon the outer ends of Fig. 12 iS a Section 011 the line '2f-l2 0f Fig- 10; the cranks or crank pins 35 and held in position and thereon by a member 46 riveted to the ends of Fig.l 13 is an end elevation of the deviceshown the cranks or crank pinsA as at 41, A tubular 45 inFig. 9.100kir1g iOWaTdS the leftbushing 48, preferably of bronze or some such 45 Similar reference characters designate correbearing material, is positioned on the cranks or 4SpOlm-irlg Darts thIOUghOui the Several gureS crank pins 35 underneath the annular member of the drawings. 45. From the foregoing description it will be Referring to the preferred embodiment 0f the apparent that upon rotation of the drive shaft .50 invention iiiilsilted in Figs- 1 O'S. inCiilSiVe, the I6 the outer races 43 of the anti-friction bearings 5c reference character A designates a housing, com- 4I will follow the eccentric members 38 and 39 prising a central portion I9 provided With'a parproducing, an oscillation --of the crank arms 34 tition II and two end covers I2 and I3 bolted and, inturn, an `oscillation of the crankshafts 25. thereto by the bolts I4. and I5. A drive shaft I6 Gears 50 provided with hubs 5i, rotatably suphaving a reduced end portion I8 formed integral ported by means of bushing members 52 and 53 on each of the crankshafts 25, are continuously in mesh with a central gear 54 keyed to the driven shaft 20, by akey 55. 'I'he gears 50 are operatively connected to or driven from the respective crankshafts 25 upbn which they are mounted by one-Way driving clutches in the form of rollers 56 positioned between cam surfaces 51 formed on the interior surface of the gears 58, and the crankshafts 25. Roller cages 58 rotatably supported about the crankshafts 25 and movable relative to the gears 50 are continuously urged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, to operatively engage the rollers 56 with the cam surfaces 51 by springs 60 positioned in cutaway portions 6| of the cages 58 and compressed between parts thereof and pins 62 xed in the Ahubs 5| of the gears 58. In construction, the cam surfaces 51 are arc-shaped and converge toward the center of the crankshafts 25 in both directions which enables the direction in which the one-way driving clutch will transmit motion to be reversed by merely changing the spring 60 to the other side of the pins 62. i

From the above description it will be apparent that the oscillations of the crankshafts 25 will be transmitted to the driven shaft 20 in the form of intermittent uni-directional rotational movements through the rollers 58, the gears 50 and the gear 54. In the construction illustrated, ilve duplicate power transmissions or connections are employed between the driving and the driven shafts, but the number may be varied as required within the scope of this invention. The employment of a plurality of transmissions or connections, as shown, enables the shaft 20 to be driven at a continuous, uniform speed even at very low speeds, since the crankshafts are all directly oscillated from the same eccentrcs and are equally spaced thereabout. In operation, the load is carried by successive power transmissions or connections and is shifted evenly and without interruption from one to the other.

The amount of oscillation imparted to the crankshafts 25 may be varied by producing a relative rotation of the outer eccentric member 39 with reference to the inner eccentric member 38 which,`in turn, changes the resultant or effective eccentricity of the eccentric members. The following mechanism is provided for rotating the outer eccentric member 39 relative to the inner eccentric member 38 without interrupting the transmission of power or stopping the rotation of any of the parts. A pin 65 xed in the outer eccentric member 39 engages in a sloiI 66 formed in a ange 61 on a sleeve 68 rotatably supported on the drive shaft I6. A collar member 12 slidably supported on the sleeve ,68 carries two pins 13 which engage in spiral slots 14 and 15 in the shaft I6 and the sleeve 68, respectively. The spiral angles of the slots 14 and 15 are in opposite directions and movement of the collar member 12 longitudinally of the sleeve 68, by virtue of .the pins 13 and the slots 14 and 15, causes a relative rotation of the shaft I6 and the sleeve 68, the amount of which, for a given movement of the collar member 12, will depend upon the spiral angle of the slots. In the embodiment illustrated, the slots 14 and 15 have equal spiral angles, but it will be understood that the spiral angle of either may be varied as desired even to' the extent of having one of the straight.

The collar member 12 is reciprocated longitudinally of the sleeve A68 by a hand grasp lever xed to a short shaft 8| by a bolt 82, 'I'he sets of slots lshaft 8| is rotatablysupported in a boss 83 formed in the end cover I2, by a bushing 84 formed integral with a sector member 85, and carries on the lower end thereof an arm 86 secured thereto by a pin 81. The arm 86 carries a yoke member 88 which engages over the outer race 89 of an anti-friction bearing 90 secured to thecollar member 12. The hand grasp lever 8U is held in any adjusted position by a lock bolt 9| slidably supported therein and provided with a projection 92 adapted to engage the sector member which is secured to the housing A by the bushing 84 and a bolt 93. 'I'he lock bolt 9| is moved to engage the sector member 85 by a cam bolt 94 slidably supported in a longitudinal aperture in the hand grasp lever 80 and moved therein by a thumb-screw 95 in a manner well known in the art. The sector member 85 may be graduated in terms of speed reduction etc.. if desired. The reference characters 96 and 91 indicate oil retainers and the reference character 98 indicates an oil plug in the housing A. Openings 99 are provided in the partition to permit the free circulation of oil within the housing.

The eccentric masses connected to the drive shaft are counterbalanced by a counterbalance IDU formed integral with the flange 61 and a counterbalance |8| xed to the drive shaft I6 by a tapered pin |02. The counterbalances not only counterbalance the eccentric members 38 and 39, but also the parts operatively connected thereto, and the effectiveness ofthe counterbalances varies in proportion to th'e masses to be counterbalanced, since they are fixed on the relatively movable parts I6 and 68 and are rotated relative to each other as the effective or resultant eccentricity of the eccentric members 38 and 39 is varied. The entire transmissionv is eiectively counterbalanced at all speeds.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the operation of the transmission will be apparent but it may be summarized as follows: In operation the shaft I6, eccentric members 38 and 39, pin 65, flange 61, sleeve 68, collar member 12, and counterweights |08 and 0| rotate as `a unit. The cranks or crank pins 35 follow the eccentric members as the same rotate, the outer races 43 of the anti-friction bearings 4| being held in contact with the finished surface 44 on the outer eccentric member 39 by the annular member 45. The oscillations of the crankshafts 25 are transmitted to the gears l50 and, in turn, the central gear 54, by the one-way driving clutches. 56, the direction of operation of which may be reversed by changing the springs 60 to the opposite sides of the pins 62. Since the oscillations of the crankshafts 25 are received directly from the same eccentric, it will be apparent that the amount of oscillation of each crankshaft will be equal 'at all times, which is of considerable importance, especially at very low speeds of the driven sh'aft 20, where a slight variation in the extent `of oscillation between the various crankshafts would result in a variable speed of the driven shaft or produce an oscillation in the driven shaft.

Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive, show a modification of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. l to 8, inclusive, and described above. The transmission illustrated in these figures is substantially a duplicate of that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 with the exception of the means for holding the crank mechanism against the outer eccentric and the mechanism for producing the rotation of the eccentrics relative to each other.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive, the reference character B designates a housing comprising acentral portion H provided with a partition ill and two end covers H2 and H3 secured thereto by the bolts ||4 and H5. A drive shaft H6 having a gear H1 and a reduced end' portion H8 formed integral therewith, is rotatably supported in the end cover H3 and a recess H9 in a driven shaft by anti-friction bearings |2| and |22, respectively. The driven shaft |20 is rotatably supported in the cover plate 2 and partition by anti-friction bearings |23 and |24, respectively, and is adapted to be driven inafter-referred to.

A plurality of crankshafts |25, equally spacedabout the axis of the driven shaft |20, are `ro tatably Supported in bosses |26 and |21 formed in the central member ||0 and partition by bushings |28 and anti-friction rollers |29, respectively. The anti-friction rollers V| 29 run in grooves |30 formed in the crankshafts |25, and engage steel races |3| secured in the bosses |21. Crank arms |34, formed integral with the crankshafts |25, carry cranks or crank pins fixed in bosses |36 in any suitable manner. The crankshafts 25 are oscillated upon rotation of the drive shaft I6 by a variable eccentric, comprising two coaxial eccentric members |38 and |39, the inner eccentric member |38 of which is fixed to the drive shaft H6 by a pin |40, and the outer eccentric member |39 is rotatably supported on the inner eccentricmember |38. 'I'he eccentricity of each of the eccentric members |38 and |39 is equal, the construction being such that the resultant amount of eccentricity may be varied from zere to maximum eccentricity by producing a relative rotation between the outer eccentric member |39 and the innerv eccentric member |38.

Each of the cranks or crank pins 35 carry anti-friction bearingsl |4|, the innerraces |42 of which are aixed to the cranks or crank pins 35 and the outer races |43 engage a finished surface |44 on the outer eccentric member |39.

'I'he outer races |43 are held in contact with the finished surface |44 on the outer eccentric member, as the same revolves, lay-mechanism hereinafter described.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that upon rotation of the drive shaft ||6, the crankshafts |25 Will be oscillated through the eccentric members |38 and |39, the outer races 43, the cranks`or crank pins |35, and the crank arms |34. The oscillations of the-crankshafts |25 are transmitted to the drive shaft |20 through gears |50 provided with hubs 5| and rotatably supported by ,means of bushing members |52 and |53 on the crankshafts |25. The gears |50 are continuously in mesh with a central gear |54 keyed to the driven shaft |20 by a key |55 and are operatively connected to, or driven from the respective crankshafts upon which they are mounted, by one-way driving clutches in the form of rollers |56, positioned between the gears |50 and the crankshafts |25, and cooperating with arc-shaped cam surfaces formed on the interior surface of the gears.

Roller cages |58 rotatably supported about theA away portions of the cages |58, and compressed between parts thereof and pins |62 fixed in the hubs |5| of the gears |50. lThe cam surfaces are arc-shaped and converge toward the center of the crankshafts |25 in both directions, a construction which enables the direction in which the oneway driving clutch will transmit .motion, to be reversed, by changing the springs to the opposite side of the pins |62 whereby theroller cages |58 are moved in the opposite ldirection to forcethe rollers into engagement with the opposite side of the cam surfaces. l.

The oscillation'sof Athe crankshafts |25`will be transmitted tothe'driven shaft |20 in the form of intermittent unidirectional-movements through I the rollers |56, the gears |50 and the` gear |54. In the illustration five dupl'cate power transmissions or connections are'sh driving and the driven shafts, but the number may stated above, the employment of a plurality of transmissions or connections enables the -drive own 1 between the v shaft-|20 to be rotated at a continuous uniform y l speed. By oscillating the crankshafts |25 direct from the same eccentric the speed of the driven shaft can be maintained uniform, even at very low speeds of the shaft,l because there lis no variation in the amount of oscillation imparted to the various crankshafts,

The mechanism so far described is substantially a duplicate of that shown in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. l to 8, inclusive, the variation between the two modifications being for the most part limited to the means for holding the outer races 43 and |43 in engagement with the finished surface 44 and |44 on the 'outer eccentric members 39 and |39, respectively, and to the mechanism for rotating the outer eccentric members 39 and |39 relative to the inner eccentric members 38 and |38.

The outer races |43 are held -in contactwith the finished surface I 44 on the outer eccentric member |39 by means of an annular member |45, provided with flanges A|46 and |41 lprojecting toward the center thereof, and which surrounds all the races. The surface |48 on the annular member |45 which engages the races |43 is finished so that in operation the lraces may roll thereon. As stated above, the amount of oscillation imparted to the crankshafts |25 may be varied by producing a relative rotation between the outer eccentric member |39 and the inner eccentric member |38, which, in turn, changes the resultant or effective. eccentricity of the eccentric members, and the following mechanism is provided for rotating the outer eccentric member relative to the inner eccentric member.

A pin |65 fixed in the outer eccentric member |39 engages in a slot 4|66 formed in a collar member |61 rotatablysupported on the drive shaft H6 and provided with a 'counterweight'l and a gear |69 formed integral therewith. The gear |69 is of the same diameter as the gear |1, previously mentioned, and which is formed integral with the drive shaft H6; The gears H1 and |69 are continuously in mesh with gears |10 and |1|,

respectively, rotatably supported on a short shaf |13 fixed in a spool-shaped member |14.

' The gears |10.and |1| are of the same size and are continuously in mesh with large internal gears |16 and |11, respectively.. Gear |11 is secured to the end cover ||3 by bolts |16 and the gear |16, which is of thesame' size and has the same number of teeth as vgear I1|, is formed on a cupshaped member |19 rotatably supported inthe end cover H3 and adapted to be rotated relative thereto by a hand grasp lever |80 secured to one end thereof, as by the clamp bolt |8|. The hand grasp lever |80 is locked in any desired position by a lock bolt |82 having a head |83 which engages a flange |84 formed integral with the end -cover ||3. The lock bolt |82 is drawn to the right; as viewed in Fig. 9, to lock the parts in position by means of cooperating cam surfaces |85 and |86 formed on the lock bolt |82 and a cam bolt |81, respectively.. The cam bolt |81 is slidably carried in an aperture |88 formed in the hand grasp lever |80 and is moved therein to engage the cam surface |86 with the cam surface y drive shaft ||6 and the gears |10 and |1|, and

the spool-shapedmember |14 rotate as a unit at a slower speed than that of the drive shaft. Upon movementI of the cup-shaped member |19 by means of the handgrasp |80, a relative rotation will be produced between the gears |16 and |11, the gears |10 and |1|, and the collar member |61, the gears and |69 and the drive shaft H6 which will rotate the outer eccentric member |39 with reference to the inner eccentric member |38 by virtue of the slot |66 and pinl |65.

From the foregoing disclosures it will be apparent that a new and improved variable speed transmission has been produced in which the speed of the drive shaft may be increased from rest to full speed without interrupting the transmission of power and in which there will be no appreciable oscillation of the drive shaft even at slow speeds. While the length of the crank arms is determined within certain limits by the relative size of other portions f the transmission, in the preferred construction the distance between the axes of the crank shafts and the axes of the crank pins is approximately two thirds or three quarters of the distance between the axis of the drive shaft and the axis of the crank shaft, and the drive shaft is preferably rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. This construction and operation will give a more uniform and satisfactory angular velocity to the crank shafts during the effective part of their driving movement.

The invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the Vpreferred embodiments thereof, but I d ofnot wish to be limited to the particular construction illustrated and described which may be varied within the scope of the invention, and I particularly point out and claim as my invention the following:

1. A power transmission comprising a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a plurality of crank shafts spaced about the axis of one of said shafts, an eccentric carried by said drive-shaft, crank arms on said crank shafts, crank pins on said crank arms, rollers rotatably mounted antifrictionally on said crank pins and adapted forrolling engagement with said eccentric, a ring engageable with said crank pins for maintaining said rollers iu engagement withsa'id eccentric, and one-way driving clutches between said crank shafts and said driven shaft.

spaced about the axis of one of said shafts, one way clutches between said crank shafts and said driven shaft. an eccentric secured to said drive shaft, a second eccentric mounted on said first mentioned eccentric and adapted for oscillatory movement relative thereto, crank arms on said crank shafts, crank pins on said crank arms, rollers antifrictionally mounted on said crank pins and adapted for rolling engagement with said second eccentric, a ring engageable with said crank pins for maintaining said rollers in engagement with said second eccentric, a sleeve movably mounted on said drive shaft and having a lateral extension to provide a counterweight, said sleeve having a slot, a pin carried by said second eccentric and having an end disposed in vsaid slot, a member secured to said drive shaft and having a lateral extension to provide a second counterweight complementary to said first mentioned counterweight, and means for moving said sleeve to vary the relative eccentricity of said eccentrics.

3. A power transmission comprising a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a plurality of crank shafts spaced about the axis of one of said shafts, one way clutches between said crank shafts and said driven shaft, an eccentric secured to said drive shaft, a second eccentric mounted on said first mentioned eccentric and adapted for oscillatory movement relative thereto, crank arms on said crank shafts, crank pins on said crank arms, rollers antifrictionally mounted on said crank pins and adapted for rolling engagement with said second eccentric, a ringengageable with said crank pins for maintaining said rollers in engagement with said second eccentric, a sleeve movably mounted on said drive shaft and having a lateral extension to provide a counterweight on one side and having a slot opposite thereto, a pin carried by said second eccentric and having an end disposed in said slot, a member secured to said drive shaft and having a lateral extension to provide a second counter- Weight complementary to said first mentioned counterweight, and means for movingsaid sleeve to vary the relative eccentricity of said eccentrics.

4. A power transmission comprising a housing separableintermediate its ends, a driven shaft having its inner end rotatably mounted in one portion of said housing, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in the other portion of said housing and having its ,inner end antifrictionally supported by said driven shaft, an external gear secured to said driven shaft, a plurality of crank shafts spaced about the axis of said driven shaft and rotatably supported in the driven end portion of said housing, external gears mounted on said crank shafts and in constant mesh with said external gear on said driven shaft, cam means disposed between said external gears and their respective crank shafts for permitting relative movement therebetween in one direction only. an eccentric secured to the inner end of said drive shaft, a second eccentric mounted on said first mentioned eccentric and adapted for oscillatory movement relative thereto, crank arms on the inner ends cfsaid crank shafts, crank pins on said crank arms, rollers antifrictionally mounted on said crank pins and adapted for rolling engagement with said second eccentric, a ring engageable with said crank pins for maintaining said rollers in engagement with said second eccentric, a sleeve movably mounted on said drive shaft and having a lateral extension at its inner end to provide a counterweight, said sleeve having a slot, a pin having one end secured to said second eccentric and its opposite end disposed in said slo a member'secured to said drive shaft adjacent the outer end of said sleeve and having a lateral extension to provide a. counterweight complementary to said rst mentioned counterweight, and manually operated means 'supported by thedrive end portion of said housing and operably connected to said sleeve for moving the latter to vary the relative eccentricity of said eccentrics.

JAMES P, JOHNSON. 

